Stage-pocket.



Patented Dec. 3|, |90I.

...lill

J. l. C. KING.

STAGE PUCKEVT. (Animation mea Aug. 26, 1901.)

Hill

(No Model.)

UNrTnD STATES ATENT OFFICE.

JOHN I. C. KING, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

STAGE-POCKET.V

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 690,155, datedDecember 31, 1901.

` Application iiled August 20, 1901. Serial No. 72,664. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom, it ntay concern.:

Be it known that I, JOHN I. C. KING, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of New York city, in the county of New York and State ofNewYork, have invented certain new and 'useful Improvements in Stage-Pockets, of which the following is a specification.

The object of myinvention is to provide a stage-pocket for theaterswherein thecircuits for various lamps or light effects can be quicklyand readily changed,while at the same time the contacts will beprotected and the movement of people upon the stage will not beinterfered with.

The invention comprises contacts supported beneath the stage-floor, amovable plug or complement-al contacts for the rst-mentioned contactsand forconnection with the line leading to a lamp, and a movable coveradapted to close an opening leading to the first-mentioned contacts andprovided with means for carrying said plug into connection with thefirst-mentioned contacts and maintaining it in such position, andwhereby when the plug is to be removed said cover will open and afterthe removal of the plug will close to .protect said opening.

The invention further consists in the novel details of improvement, thatwill be more fully hereinafter set forth and then pointed out in theclaims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming parthereof, wherein- Figu rel is a plan view of a stage-pocket ernbodyingmyinvention. Fig. 2 is a cross-section thereof on the line 2 2 in Fig.1; and Fig. 3 is a section through the plug, showing it in positionbetween the permanent contacts.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in theseveralviews.

In the drawings the numeral 1 indicates a plate or support which isadapted to be placed over an opening in the floor of a stage of atheater or in any other desired location, and the plate 1 is providedwith au opening 1 and with a cover -2 for said opening, which ispreferably hinged near one edge, as on a pivot or rod 2, so as to swingupwardly, as in dotted lines in Fig. 2, a suitablevledge 2b beingprovided forthe cover to rest upon, so that it will be about iiush withthe top of plate 1,

and the latter will preferably be placed flush with the stage-floor. 3 4are contacts of any suitable construction, preferably supported by plate1, as upon interposed insulation 5, and 6 '7 are conductors leading froma source of current-supply to the contacts 3 4, respectively. Thecontacts 3 4 depend from plate 1 in position to receive a plug orcontacts between them, Fig. 3 showing the plug in position between thecontacts 3 4, the latterY being shown inverted from their position inFig. 2. The cover 2 is provided with a support'for the plug, so as toswing the latter into engagement with and ,away from the contacts 3 4,and for this purpose I have provided the cover with a pair of dependingarms 8, connected by a cross-bar 9, from which bar an arm 10 extends,which arm is provided with an eX- .tension 10 to receive a socket in theplug.

As shown in full lines in Fig. 2, when the cover 2 is closed theextension 10a passes between t-he contacts .3 4, and lies-abouthorizontally, and the 'extension is'shown in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and2 when the cover is raised, being thus in position in line with theopening 1 and extending vertically thereunder.

The plug for making electrical connection between the contacts 3'4 andthe lead-out wires or cable 11 11iL consistsof a body 12, preferably ofinsulating material, upon the exterior of which contacts 13 14 aresecured and respectively adapted to engage contacts V3 4. The contacts13 14 are respectively connected with the wires 11 11, as by terminals11b, screwed tothe contacts 13 14, and the outer end or stem of the body12 is provided witha transverseopening12, through which the wires 1111'L pass in opposite directions or cross, whereby as the cable is drawnupon the wires will be firmly clamped to and will draw upon the body 12,and yet can be readily disconnected therefrom.

15 is a sleeve` surrounding the connection of the Wires 11 11FL with theplug, and the sleeve 15 is preferably connected to said plug by means ofscrew-threads 16. The sleeve 15 protects the connection between thewires 11 11",and the plug, and servesas a brace for the Wires when theplug is being withdrawn from its support l0.

The inner end of body 12 is provided with ss t IOO

a socket 12b, in which clamping-jaws or the like 17 are located, andthey are preferably made of spring metal to clamp the extension 10a. Thearrangement I have shown is such that the clamping-jaws 17 are to beforced upon the extension 10 to firmly hold the plug upon the latter.

When connection is to be made, the cover 2 is raised, thereby bringingthe extension 10lL in line with the opening l, and the plug is pushedupon the extension 10 in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.The cover is then closed, and as it swings on its pivot 2a it carriesthe plug between the contacts 3 4, causing electrical connection to bemade between said contacts and the contacts 13 14, and the wires orcable 1l will extend through an opening 2d provided to receive it, asindicated in Figs. 1 and 2. When the plug is to be removed and insertedin another pocket,it is merely necessary to pullupwardly on the cable11, whereupon the latter will cause the cover 2 to lift, and thereuponthe plug will be swung away from the contacts 3 4, and will be broughtinto line with the opening 1, as indicated in dotted lines in Figs. land 2. The plug can then be readily withdrawn from extension 10, andthereupon the cover 2 will fall back over the opening l From theforegoing it will be observed that the normal tendency of the cover 2 isto remain closed to protect people on the stage from the opening l inplate 1 and also that when connection is made between the contacts 3, 4,13, and 14 they are concealed and protected.

I do not limit my invention to the details of construction shown anddescribed, as they may be varied without departing from the spiritthereof.

Having now described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A device of thecharacter described comprising a pair of contacts, a pivotally-supportedmember adapted to swing toward and from the same, contacts to coact withthe first-mentioned contacts, a carrier for said contacts, means fordetachably connecting said carrier with said member, and conductorsconnected with said contacts and with said carriers, substantially asdescribed.

2. A device of the character described comprising a pair of contacts, amovable member adapted to travel toward and from the same, a plug havingcontacts to connect with the first-mentioned contacts, and means forremovably connecting said plug with said member, substantially asdescribed.

3. A stage pocket comprising a plate, a movable cover, a pair ofcontacts, a plug having contacts to engage the latter, and means forremovably connecting the plug with said cover, substantially asdescribed.

4. A stage-pocket comprising a plate provided with an opening, a movablecove'r to close the same, a pair of contacts, a plug having contactstoengage the latter, a support for the plug carried by the cover, andmeans for removably connecting the plug with said support, substantiallyas described.

5. A stage-pocket comprising a plate provided with an opening, a movablecover to close the same, a pair of contacts, a-plug having contacts toengage the latter, a support for the plug carried by the cover, and anextension and socket between said support and the plug to hold thelatter upon the former, substantially as described.

6. A stage-pocket comprising a plate having an opening, a movable covertherefor, an extension carried thereby, a pair of contacts, and a plughaving contacts to engage the latter and provided with a socket toreceive said extension, substantially as described.

7. A plug of the character described comprising a body having anOpening, a pair of contacts, and conductors respectively connectedtherewith and passing in opposite directions through said opening,substantially as described.

8. A plug of the character described cornprising a body having anopening, a pair of contacts, and conductors respectively connectedtherewith and passing in opposite directions through said opening, and asleeve surrounding said opening and conduct-ors andv connected with saidbody, substantially as described.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,this 6th day of vAugust, A. D. 1901.

JOHN I. C. KING.

Witnesses:

T. F. BOURNE, M. MANNING.

